Globals

KAPPA stores a number of global parameters that are used as defaults to reduce typing in response to prompts. Global means that they are shared between applications. The most common is the last dataset (usually NDF) written or accessed. In the example above, this was horsehead.sdf. If you just press <CR> in response to the prompt, the global value is unchanged. Only when you modify the parameter and the application completes without error is the global value updated.

All global parameters are stored in the HDS file $ADAM_USER/GLOBAL.sdf, or $HOME/adam/GLOBAL.sdf if the ADAM_USER environment variable is not defined. The full list is given below.

	GLOBAL.DATA_ARRAY	--	Last NDF or foreign data file accessed or written.
	GLOBAL.GRAPHICS_DEVICE	--	Current graphics workstation.
	GLOBAL.INTERACTIONMODE	--	Current interaction mode.
	GLOBAL.LUT	--	Last lookup table file accessed or written.
	GLOBAL.TRANSFORM	--	Current transformation structure.

KAPPA uses the last DATA_ARRAY written or accessed as the suggested default value for the next prompt for an NDF structure or foreign data format. The same applies to the current lookup table and transformation structure. However, the remaining, including the graphics global parameter are defaulted--you will not be prompted. Details of how to control these parameters are given in the relevant sections.

The values of all global parameters may be inspected with the GLOBALS task. You can make them undefined using NOGLOBALS.

     ICL> globals
     The current data file                : @/home/dro/jkt/ccdpic
     The current graphics device is       : @ps_l
     The current lookup table file is     : @$KAPPA_DIR/spectrum_lut
     The current transformation is        : @/home/dro/deform/warpit
     The current interaction mode is      : <undefined>
     The current message-report level is  : NORMAL

In the above example no interaction mode is defined. The next time you call an application that uses the interaction mode you would be prompted for a value. (Under normal circumstances you will not have to enter the @ prefix yourself.)

Note that the message-reporting level is not a global parameter, but is defined by the MSG_FILTER environment variable. It controls the verbosity of informational messages. Since it applies to all tasks that report such messages, it is convenient to allow GLOBALS to show its value. Further details are in Verbosity of Messages for details. Since it is not a parameter as such, the message-reporting level is not unset by NOGLOBALS.